XO Expands Broadband Wireless Coverage to 36 Markets

XO Communications announced that it has expanded its broadband wireless coverage to 36 metropolitan markets, marking the nation’s most expansive utilization of fixed broadband wireless technology to deliver broadband networking services to businesses.

XO Communications has added 24 new metropolitan markets as part of its nationwide expansion and partnership with Nextlink, an affiliated XO company and the nation’s largest holder of Local Multipoint Distribution System (LMDS) spectrum with licenses in 75 metropolitan markets. The new markets are: Akron, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Cleveland, Columbus, Colorado Springs, Denver, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nashville, Oakland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Sacramento, St. Louis, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Jose, Tucson and Wilmington, DE. In addition to the new markets announced today, XO Communications also utilizes broadband wireless technology in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa and Washington, DC.

Through fixed broadband wireless technology, business customers can receive broadband services from XO Communications in more ways, in more locations, at faster speeds and at more cost-effective prices than conventional wireline networks. By providing broadband access and networking services over fixed wireless technology for the first time in many of these markets, XO Communications can offer businesses a number of unique solutions, including the ability to deliver:
• Higher-speed Internet access and networking services for the first time at locations that lack direct access to fiber networks;
• Alternative network access for businesses served by only one local telecommunications provider;
• Wide area networks to connect multiple business locations in campus environments; and
• Fully-redundant broadband wireless network connections for business continuity and disaster planning initiatives.

“With 36 metropolitan markets in service, XO now operates the nation’s largest array of fixed broadband wireless networks for business-class communications,” said Tom Cady, president of XO Business Services. “XO’s use of broadband wireless technology is opening the door to a wider world of options for businesses looking for competitively priced, scalable high-speed network access. Wireless technology complements our extensive fiber networks in each of these markets and allows XO to significantly increase our addressable market.”

XO Communications is utilizing licensed broadband wireless spectrum from Nextlink, an affiliated XO company and the nation’s largest holder of Local Multipoint Distribution System (LMDS) spectrum with licenses in 75 metropolitan markets. This technology allows XO to extend the reach of its metro fiber networks and offer a broad range of high-speed Internet access and private data networking services directly to businesses. Over broadband wireless links, XO Communications can deliver high-speed network connections at speeds ranging from 10 Mbps to 155 Mbps (OC-3) to support a wide range of communications services, including dedicated Internet access, metro Ethernet, and voice over IP (VoIP).

High-Speed Network Access for Fiber Deprived Businesses
Broadband wireless technology also allows XO Communications to fill a critical gap for businesses that require higher-speed network connections but lack direct access to fiber optic networks at their locations or lack competing alternatives for communications services. Today, less than 20 percent of buildings in the United States have direct fiber access to support higher-bandwidth communications services. In addition new fiber optic network builds can be both costly and time-consuming to deploy.